n.
An extremely long convolution extending lengthwise over the lower surface of the temporal and occipital lobes of the brain.
Fusiform gyrus
| Medical Dictionary: fusiform gyrus |
n.
| 5min Related Video: Fusiform gyrus |
| Wikipedia: Fusiform gyrus |
| Brain: Fusiform gyrus | ||
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| Medial surface of left cerebral hemisphere. (Fusiform gyrus visible near bottom) | ||
| Latin | gyrus fusiformis | |
| Gray's | subject #189 824 | |
| NeuroNames | hier-121 | |
| NeuroLex ID | birnlex_1641 | |
The fusiform gyrus is part of the temporal lobe. It is also known as the (discontinuous) occipitotemporal gyrus. [1] Other sources have the fusiform gyrus above the occipitotemporal gyrus and underneath the parahippocampal gyrus.[2]
Contents |
Function
There is still some dispute over the functionalities of this area, but there is relative consensus on the following:
- processing of color information
- face and body recognition (see Fusiform face area)
- word recognition
- number recognition [questionable: may only be as a result of a global response of any generic recognition tasks, further statistical evidence needed]
- within-category identification
Some researchers believe that the fusiform gyrus may be related to the disorder known as prosopagnosia, or face blindness. Research has also shown the fusiform face area, the area within the fusiform gyrus, is heavily involved in face perception but only to any generic within-category identification which is shown to be one of the functions of the fusiform gyrus.[3]
Function in Synaesthetes
Recent research has seen activation of the fusiform gyrus during subjective grapheme-color perception in people with synaesthesia.[4]
The Fusiform Gyrus in Popular Culture
Police inspector Beate Lønn in the Harry Hole detective series by Jo Nesbø is supposed to have a well developed fusiform gyrus, explaining why she has an outstanding ability to recognize the villains from surveillance cameras and police photos.
References
- ^ Nature Neuroscience, vol7, 2004
- ^ nervsystemet.se - Hjärnatlas
- ^ McCarthy, G et al. Face-specific processing in the fuman fusform gyrus.J. Cognitive Neuroscicence. 9, 605-610(1997).
- ^ Imaging of connectivity in the synaesthetic brain « Neurophilosophy
Additional images
 Basal view of a human brain |
External links
- Atlas of anatomy at UMich n1a2p13 - "Cerebral Hemisphere, Inferior View"
- Location at mattababy.org
- [1] at ted.com
- NIF Search - Fusiform Gyrus via the Neuroscience Information Framework
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 | Medical Dictionary. The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Read more |
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| Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Fusiform gyrus". Read more |
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